


L'esprit de L'escalier

by Hollyflash



Series: DannyMay 2017 [3]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Clockwork please stop sassing your employers, DannyMay 2017, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 12:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13658877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollyflash/pseuds/Hollyflash
Summary: The phenomenon of thinking up the perfect reply too late. This does not exist when you're the Master of Time.Or: Clockwork, that’s not nice.





	L'esprit de L'escalier

A duo of Observants returned from interacting with the Master of Time utterly- as always- exhausted. Another variant Timeline had appeared that contained the horrible future of Dan Phantom, and once again, Clockwork had refused to eliminate the threat before it could fully develop! His inaction when it was necessary, and utter disregard for their rules, was inevitably going to destroy the realm!

The two took several long moments to send each other calming energy before heading to meet with the High Council. That would be another stressful encounter, and they needed to stay composed when making their report. Before they could reach the room, however, they felt a pull in their cores.

The Master of Time was practically begging that they come back.

And Clockwork had  _never_  called them like this before.

Entirely convinced that the apocalypse had come- what other reason could there be for Clockwork to call them now?- the two teleported. In the room they had left only moments before, windows through time switched between various Timelines. Clockwork floated there with his back turned, facing one that was blank.

“What’s happened?” one Observant asked.

Clockwork didn’t turn around. His tone was carefully composed. “Before you left, we were talking about the horrible future which contains Dan Phantom.”

Horrified, the Observants exchanged a look. “Yes,” the other said. Neither of them could see anything wrong with the scenes flickering around them- but of course, that was why they had a Master of Time. “Has he escaped?”

“Did you let him out?” the first asked.

Clockwork turned his head just enough for the duo to get the impression he was glaring at them. “Yes, of course,” he said dryly, “I let a mass murderer free to roam across the realms. Clearly, you’ve got my character nailed down.”

The Observants relaxed. For once, that was a comfort; if Clockwork was still willing to send barbed words their way, he must have a plan to deal with whatever catastrophe he’d sensed. “Then what  _has_  happened?”

Clockwork turned his head back to the blank portal. “Last time we talked, you listed reasons why that future was so terrible.”

The Observants wondered if it was worth mentioning that ‘last time’ had only been ten minutes ago. “Yes,” one said, “most earth’s human population would be murdered, and new ghosts would be destroyed before they could fully form, thus leading to a decrease in the purer types of ectoplasm-”

“No, not those reasons,” Clockwork cut in, holding his staff tighter for a moment. He still wouldn’t look at them. It was rather rude. “After that  _exchange_  was finished, you added on another, more personal, reason.”

The Observants glanced at each other. “Are you referring to our comment about his distasteful costume?”

“Yes, that was the one.” Clockwork turned to face them, a huge smile on his face. “I misheard you before, I thought you were referring to your own appearance.”

Silence.

“Excuse me?” one Observant said.

“Excuse me?” the other said, a moment later.  

“You’re excused,” Clockwork’s grin did not falter as he tapped his staff twice. “Now, I believe the exact words you used when describing him were ‘gaudy’ and ‘disappointing’, both of which you much admit describe your own robes much better than his almost achromatic assemble.” The Observants tried to speak, but Clockwork gave them no time to do so. “Honestly, who designed your robes? That golden shape on your chests look more like a large pile of trash than whatever it’s supposed to be- unless that was the intention, but if so,  _why?_  It’s simply, as you put it, distasteful.”

More silence. The Observants glanced at each other.

“Was… that all?” one asked.

“If you don’t need anything else, we must be leaving.” The other added.

Clockwork waved them off, looking like he was about to start laughing in their faces, and the duo of Observants returned to their home. An unspoken agreement passed between them; next time the High Council asked them to check in on the Master of Time, they’d find someone else to take the job.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the DannyMay 2017 prompt of the same name and posted on May 21, this mostly came into being because I wanted more of Clockwork being a jerk to the Observants in my life. That still applies. I love Clockwork.


End file.
